Toy



G. W. CABLE TOY Filed Dec. 24, 1921 EAMJWQ ATTORNEYS.

tion.

Patented July 10, 1923.

UNITED STATS tribe,

TOY.

Application filed. December 24, 1921. Serial No. 524,750.

2 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE VVALno CABLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwalk, county of Fairfield, State of C0nnecticut, have invented an Improvement in a Toy, of which the following is a specifica- This invention relates to toys and has, for an object to provide a toy which may be pushed along the floor by the child, and which will give the representation of an animal, preferably a cat, chasing its tail.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction, comprising comparatively few parts, and so will not be: liable to be easily gotten out of order, and may be manufactured at a low cost.

With these and other objects in view I have devised the toy illustratedin the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the toy.

Fig'. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof, and

Fig. 4 is a transverse section substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

The toy comprises a base or platform 10, preferably rectangular in shape, provided with transverse supporting and spacing pieces 11 on the underside thereof adjacent its opposite ends, and on the underside of these pieces is mounted the rotatable shaft 12 by means of looped straps 13, this shaft extending throughout the length of the base and provided at its opposite ends with wheels 14, upon which the toy may be rolled along the fioor by means of a suitable handle 15 secured to the forward side of the base. Thebase is provided with an opening 16 within which is rotatably mounted a turntable or support 17 this support being mounted on a cross piece 18 secured to the underside of the base, this cross piece hav ing an upwardly projecting portion 19 upon which the support is rotatably mounted by any suitable means, such as a screw 20. Mounted upon the shaft 12 is a suitable gear element, preferably comprising a disc 21, provided on its periphery with a plurality of spaced projections 22, preferably four in number equally spaced, as shown, and coin veniently made of wire arches and the free ends projecting from the periphery of the disc. The rotatable support 17 has, projecting downwardly from the underside thereof, a plurality of spaced pins 23 ar ranged in a circle and adapted to be engaged by the projections 22 to rotate the support 17 upon rotation of the disc 21.

Mounted on the upper side of the support- 17 isa representation of an animal as shown, preferably a cat, this representation comprising two sections 24: and 25 hinged to gether at 26, one of the sections. being formed by a vertical groove on one of the edges thereof and the adjacent edge being curved to fit this groove. is drilled through the rear section 24 and part way into the forward section 25, and within this opening is placed a coiled spring An opening 29 30 extending on opposite sides of the joint 26 of the sections and secured at its opposite ends to these sections by suitable pins 31. It will be apparent from this connecting means that the two sections may swing relatively to each other in either direction, and that the spring tends to maintain them in alignment. Any suitable representation of a tail 32, preferably a piece of braided cord, is secured to one end. of the spring 30 and projects from the rear section, as shown. By securing the end of the spring in the forward section 25 and then pulling on the tail 32, the spring may be placed under suitable tension, as desired, and then secured by a pin 31 in the rear section 24. In mounting the representation of the animal on the turntable or rotatable support 17 the rear section 2 1 is secured to this support so as to rotate therewith while the forward section 25 is free to turn relative to the rear section, it being supported by the hinge connection between the two. A suit able projection as a pin 33 extends horizontally from the forward section and is adapted, when the turntable is rotated, to contact with a stop preferably in the form of a pin 34 on the base.

In operation, the child rolls the device along the floor, the rotation of the wheels 14 through the shaft 12 rotating the gear element 21, and through the cooperation of the projection 22 and pins 23 rotates the turntable or support 17 and with it the representation of the animal. When, however, the projection 23 comes into contact with the stop 84, further movement of the for ward section 25 is prevented. The spring 30, however, allows the turntable with the rear section to turn further until the projection 22 slides off the pin 23 with which it happens to be in contact, and as these pins and projections are suitably spaced, the rear section will be flipped back "into alignment with the forward section under the action of the spring 30. Continued movement oi the device alongthe floor will repeat this movement giving the effect of the animal chasing its tail. As the hinge between the two sections will allow them to swing in either direction relatively to each other, the device may be operated in either direction.

It will be apparent the device is very simple in construction and comprises comparatively few parts and so is not likel to be easily gotten outot' order, and, furt ier, may be manufacturedat a low cost. Also, the operation imparts amusing antics to the representation oi the animal.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

l. A toy comprising a base, wheels for supporting the base, a support rotatably mounted on the base, a representation of an animal or the like comprising two sections so hinged together .as to allow relative lateral turning movements between the sections, resilient means tending to keep the sections in alignment, one of said sections being secured to said support and the other section being movable independently thereof, means operated by the wheels for rotating said support, and a stop on said base arranged-to engage said movable section and limit rotativemovement thereof as the other section and the support are rotated.

.2. A toy comprising a base, wheels for supporting the base, a rotatably mounted support carried by the base, a-representation of an animal comprising two sections hinged together with .resilient means tending to maintain themin alignment, the rear section being secured to the support and the forward section movable independently thereof a stop onthe baseadapted to limit the movement of the forward section, and means operated by the wheels for rotating said support.

3. A toy comprising a base, wheels for supporting the base, a rotatably mounted support carried by said base, a representation of an animal or the likecomprising two sections so hinged together as to allow relative lateral turning movements between'the sect-ions, resilient means tending to keep the sections in alignment,-one of said sections being secured to the support and the other section being movable independently thereof, cooperating means connected with the support and the wheels for rotating the support, said means being arranged to coop erateonly intermittently so vas to allow reverse movement of the support in certain positions of the rotating means, and a stop on the base adapted to engage the said movable section and limit rotative movement thereof as the support is rotated.

t. A toy comprising a- .baseor platform having an opening, a support rotatably mounted in said opening, wheels for. supporting the base or plattorm,.means driven by the wheels for rotating saidisupport and so arranged as to allow reverse movement of the support at times, a representation of an animal or the like com-prising two-sections hinged together with a spring tending to keep them inalignment, one section thereof being secured to the support, and a stop on the base for limiting the movement of the other section.

5. A toy comprising abase or platform having an opening, a support rotatably mounted in said opening, wheels for supporting the base'or platform, :means driven by the wheels for rotating. said -support comprising a wheel having spaced rprojections, a series of downwardly extending pins on the underside of the support coasting with said projections, said projections and pins being arranged to allow reverse movement of the support at times, a representation-oi an animal-or the like comprising two sections hinged together with a spring tending to hold them in alignment, one of said sections being secured to the :support, and stop means to limit the movement of the other section.

In testimony whereofI atfix my signature.

GEORGE. WALDO CABLF. 

